Conditional use of sex and parthenogenesis for worker and queen production in ants.

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_B02C2CCCBCB4
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Conditional use of sex and parthenogenesis for worker and queen production in ants.
Journal
Science
Author(s)
Pearcy M., Aron S., Doums C., Keller L.
ISSN
1095-9203[electronic]
Publication state
Published
Issued date
12/2004
Volume
306
Number
5702
Pages
1780-1783
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't - Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
The near-ubiquity of sexual reproduction in animal species has long been considered a paradox because sexually reproducing individuals transmit only half of their genome to their progeny. Here, we show that the ant Cataglyphis cursor circumvents this cost by using alternative modes of reproduction for the production of reproductive and nonreproductive offspring. New queens are almost exclusively produced by parthenogenesis, whereas workers are produced by normal sexual reproduction. By selectively using sex for somatic growth and parthenogenesis for germline production, C. cursor has taken advantage of the ant caste system to benefit from the advantages of both sexual and asexual reproduction.
Keywords
Alleles, Animals, Ants/genetics, Ants/physiology, Behavior, Animal, Cooperative Behavior, Diploidy, Evolution, Female, Genes, Insect, Genetic Variation, Haploidy, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Male, Microsatellite Repeats, Parthenogenesis, Reproduction, Sex Determination (Genetics), Sexual Behavior, Animal, Social Behavior
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
24/01/2008 18:40
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:19
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